Hogg Says Scotland Primed For Ireland Exam

Stuart Hogg believes Scotland will go a long way to justifying all their time spent cooped up in camp if they can secure a first away win over Ireland in a decade with victory in Saturday's Autumn Nations Cup third-place play-off in Dublin.

"Some of the boys haven't seen their families for over five weeks, (scrum coach) Pieter De Villiers hasn't been home for over two months, so we've made a lot of sacrifices to be in this position," Scotland captain Hogg told reporters on Friday.

"We want to finish on a high...We've talked a lot about being a family within our own little bubble over the past couple of months.

"We want to go out there, express ourselves, play the brand of rugby that we know we can play and hopefully make memories on and off the field this weekend."

Scotland, following a Nations Cup pool stage where they beat Italy and narrowly lost to France, with a match against Fiji falling victim to Covid-19, will face an Ireland side bolstered by the return of star fly-half Johnny Sexton from injury.

But Hogg, who will be winning his 80th cap on Saturday, insisted: "We want to take on the best Ireland team possible, we believe we can beat the best Ireland team.

"It's a challenge for the boys up front to deliver a solid set-piece ball and it's an opportunity for our backs to express ourselves," explained full-back Hogg, an English and European 'double' winner with Exeter last season.

"It's going to be a huge test but one the boys are prepped well for and we feel in a good place. Bring on tomorrow."

South Africa-born Edinburgh fly-half Jaco Van Der Walt will make his Scotland debut on Saturday after qualifying on residency grounds.

"He's been absolutely brilliant," said Hogg of the 26-year-old's impact on the Scotland squad. "I'd actually never come across him until he came back into camp last weekend.

"I've loved his energy around the place, he's been working really hard and he chases perfection, which I've tried to kind of knock out of him a little bit.

"I'm excited to see how he goes...He's driven us round the field in a good way this week. Hopefully tomorrow he can do the exact same."

In October, Scotland finished the coronavirus-delayed Six Nations with a 14-10 win over Wales in Llanelli -- their first victory on Welsh soil in 18 years.

And Scotland assistant coach Mike Blair believes the confidence gained from that success will aid the team in their final match of this year.

"To get that away win against one of the top-tier nations was something really big for us," he said.

"It doesn't mean that playing away from home is any easier. This game is as hard as any that we'll play," added Blair, a member of the Scotland side that beat Ireland 23-20 at Dublin's Croke Park back in 2010.

"But that Wales game has given us a little bit of confidence that these wins are very much possible."